Northern Patagonia: Penguins, secret beaches, and one long road

The nature reserve of Punta Tombo, around two hours south of Puerto Madryn in Argentina, is home to the largest colony of Magellanic penguins in the world. Rangers make sure visitors don't interfere as 500,000 penguins go about their daily routine. It is a spectacular place to visit if you love seeing wildlife in their natural habitat. Ticket sale proceeds of towards ensuring the colony will continue to be nurtured and protected in years to come.

To get to Punto Tombo from our hostel in Trelew, we hired a car with a couple of French documentary makers (and yes, I'm aware of how pretentious that sounds). We spent hours exploring the reserve watching the penguins nest and socialise. The French guys spent most of their time interviewing the penguins. It was hard-hitting stuff - those penguins have seen some things.

We left Punta Tombo and followed a dusty road for what felt like forever. We eventually found a hidden beach. That hour sitting alone on the rocky shore watching elephant seals lounge in the sun a couple of hundred metres away was unforgettable.

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